Should we embrace our inner serpent? For Chinese people welcoming the lunar New Year today, snakes have positive attributes as well as scary and despicable ones.
Billions celebrate Year of the Snake
Should we embrace our inner serpent? For Chinese people welcoming the lunar New Year today, snakes have positive attributes as well as scary and despicable ones.
"Trust in me, just in me," sings the rock python Kaa as he stares at Mowgli with hypnotic eyes in Disney's The Jungle Book. Within moments, the boy brought up by wild animals is under his spell - and likely to be eaten unless someone rescues him. "You can sleep safe and sound," Kaa adds seductively, "knowing I am around."
This is how humans tend to view snakes - as dangerous and deceptive creatures, slithering in a sneaky way. In the Bible, it is the serpent who causes Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden, by persuading them to eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
A recent survey1 found that 42% of people in Britain suffer from ophidiophobia - fear of snakes - compared with just 9% who are afraid of dogs and 17% who hate needles. This is despite the fact that the country has comparatively few snakes and bites are very rare. Even in Australia, which has 190 species of land snake, fewer than 10% are a threat to humans.2
In Chinese mythology, snakes are associated with darkness, dampness and evil women. But they also represent wisdom, wealth, longevityThe fact of lasting a long time. When referring to populations and demography, it means living a long life. and the pursuit of love and happiness. The fact that snakes shed their skins makes them symbols of rebirth and good luck.
According to the Chinese lunar calendarA calendar that uses the phases of the moon to mark the passage of time., this year also represents wood and fire, and anyone born in it will take on their attributes as well as a snake's. Such a combination, according to Professor Xiaohuan Zhao of Sydney University, tends to produce "resilient, courageous and positive" people who are admired for their unusual insight and intelligence.
Snake people are also elusive and enigmaticMysterious or difficult to understand..
Snakes play an important part in other cultures too. Some Australian aboriginal people regard the Rainbow Serpent as the creator of everything in the universe.
Scientists emphasise that snakes are much more sophisticated creatures than most people realise - and with over 5,000 different species, there is a great deal yet to be discovered.
Snakes smell with their tongues, which collect particles from the air, earth and water. By analysing the chemicals found in them, they are able to track their prey. Some, such as the anaconda, are able to do this under water.
Snakes are extremely sensitive to temperature, and will react to a change of as little as 0.2C. They can survive in harsher conditions than mammals and birds, and in very cold winters will go into brumation. This is a state similar to hibernation, but involves remaining inactive rather than actually going to sleep.
In an article for Phys Org, scientist James Chesters argues that snakes play a very useful role in nature by controlling rats and mice. Their venomA poisonous substance secret by such animals as snakes, spiders and scorpians. is an important ingredient in many drugs: the black mamba's, for example, contains a powerful painkiller, while the Sumatran cobra's venom is being investigated as a way of killing cancer cells.
Should we embrace our inner serpent?
Yes: As Chinese mythology recognises, snakes have many more good qualities than bad ones. In a world plagued by dishonesty and fake news, being hard for people to pin down is a great advantage.
No: There are good reasons for snakes having such a terrible reputation. Instead of being taken in by the legends which surround them, we should recognise them for the venomous creatures they are.
Or... We would do much better to model ourselves on another creature in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book: the loyal and courageous mongoose Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, who is the sworn enemy of snakes.
Longevity - The fact of lasting a long time. When referring to populations and demography, it means living a long life.
Lunar Calendar - A calendar that uses the phases of the moon to mark the passage of time.
Enigmatic - Mysterious or difficult to understand.
Venom - A poisonous substance secret by such animals as snakes, spiders and scorpians.
Billions celebrate Year of the Snake

Glossary
Longevity - The fact of lasting a long time. When referring to populations and demography, it means living a long life.
Lunar Calendar - A calendar that uses the phases of the moon to mark the passage of time.
Enigmatic - Mysterious or difficult to understand.
Venom - A poisonous substance secret by such animals as snakes, spiders and scorpians.